Method and means for bonding railway rails



April 20 1926. 1,581,456

J. C. LINCOLN METHOD AND MEANS FOR BONDING RAILWAY RAILS Original Filed July 18, 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet l fizyemtoz John alt/walla,

April 20, 1926. 1,581,456

J. C. LINCOLN METHOD AND MEANS FOR BONDING RAILWAY RAILS Originawled July 18, 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fave 0 3 Patented Apr. 20, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN 0'. LINCOLN, CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE UNION TRUST COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND. OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

METHOD AND MEANS FOR BONDING RAILWAY RAILS.

Application filed July 18, 1918. Serial No. 245,501.

My invention relates to improvements in method and means for electrically bonding rails, and has for its object the permanent electrical connection of railway rails, and particularly. those in use under unfavorable conditions such as exist in mines or with temporarily laid tracks.

My said invention contemplates the castwelding of the electric bonds in accordance with the general method set forth in my Letters Patent, No. 1,183,992, May 23, 1916, as modified for meeting the requirements such as above indicated.

It is common experience in mines that the cars loaded to full capacity, are drawn along the track, regardless of the fact that some of the cars in the train may be temporarily off the rails. Under such working conditions, it is obvious that the ordinary bond aflixed to the side, web or upper base flange of the rail, will suffer serious damage, and often be entirely severed from the rail ends. Again, in mines, unusual conditions of subjection to deteriorating gases, acids and moisture, must be successfully met if any permanence of electrical connection is to be secured. Usually, the requirements demand that the bonds shall be installed upon the completed track and as cheaply and promptly as possible with the least interruption of traffic, while the character of the track makes loose joints the rule, rather than the exception.

Accordingly, in one form of my invention I have sought to meet these adverse practical working conditions by cast-welding the bonds beneath, and as a part of the base flanges of the rails, where they will be best protected and form an electro-mechanical unitary structure with the united rail ends. Preferably, suitable openings or apertures are formed through the base flanges and the bonds are united therewith by a suitable heating flame, ordinarily in the form of an electric arc. 'The bond may comprise a length of copper cable with the terminals Renewed November 6, 1925.

manently united therewith. The labor cost of the type of bond is lower than that of any other bond with which I am acquainted, since the expense of preparing the rail ends is reduced to a minimum, the bonds are quickly attached to the rails already in service, and the method involves a minimum consumption of current.

Further features of my invention may best be explained in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrative thereof, wherein Fig. 1 is a View of two rail ends in perspective, mechanically and electrically united, which also shows the preferred means for attaching the bond.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view illustrating a recessed mold with the bond terminal positioned thereir.

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of two rail. ends with the carbon holder and electrode in position for burning an opening in the base flange in which to cast-weld a portion of the bond terminal.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing an indented lateral anerture, with the mold in position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view thereof upon an enlarged scale.

Figs. 6 and 7 respectively are cross-sectional andplan views of the same structure, also fragmentary in character, and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View showing the bond and mold as applied to the burned aperture of Fig. 4.

Throughout the several figures of the drawings I have employed the same character of reference to indicate similar parts.

The rails a b are shown united by fishplates 0 of any desired type and are spiked to the ties d, as in ordinary railway or. mining practice. A simple, cheap and effective bond may be formed of a suitable length of copper cable 6, either without or with a terminal band e. The said terminal band 6 may comprise a metal portion, such as of copper or other metal, partially or entirely encompassing the strands of the copper cable e, and adapted to hold said strands in position. The type of bond however is unimportant, since my invention contemplates the suitable attachment of any form of 'bond to the bases of the rails, where they are least likely to be injured. Accordingly, the problem ordinarily involves a procedure for se- 5 time required.

curing low resistance connections with and beneath the rail ends, after they have. been spiked down for use. Ordinary methods will not answer because of the expense and I Accordingly, one form of my invention contemplates a method for'operatlng from i the upper face of the base flange, first by burning or otherwise producing an aperture therein for receiving the bond terminal, po-

sitioning the bond with a mold beneath said aperture and then fusing the end of the bond and a conductive terminal to the bottom of the rail and the sides of the opening.

Preferably the hole or opening is burned by the electric are as indicated in Fig. 3. This is readily accomplished by drawing a long arc, say of one-quarter to one-half inch at the point desired upon the base flange or elsewhere upon the rail end, and burning a hole therein of such size as will approximate the cross section of the bond as at ff. Of course, this aperture may be notched or out, as at 9 Figs. 4 and 5, or otherwise produced as occasion may indicate, although I prefer the electric are both for economy and the saving of time. 7

For this purpose the electrode holder of Fig. 3, comprising handle h and clamp h for the carbon electrode 71, may conveniently be employed; which carbon may be connected as the negative electrode of the di- Y rect current circuit established from the trolley-wire orany secondary source. The

'current ordinarily is from one hundred to two hundred amperes, depending upon the rapidity at which the work is to progress.

No other preparation of the rail ends is necv essary, but if a long bond, as in Fig. 1, is to be passed beneaththe tie for the further protection insured, of course a passage for it must be made in the supporting road-bed. The body of the bond, however, may be positioned ascircumstance's dictate, with its the base flange of the rail end by means of a suitable heating flame such as the electric arc'and the inferiorly positioned mold; it usually being necessary to supply additional metal as from a copper rod n, which. is melted into the mold cavity formed by the aperture and mold to form a conductive terminal upon the end of the bond.

However, I have attained the best results under the conditions. herein referred to, by positioning the end of the bond or bonding member at a slight distance below the bottom of the base flange, as shown in Fig. 2. The arc from carbon 2' is directed against the end of the bond, the sides of the aperture and the small enclosed section of the bottom of the rail, so that surface fusion takes place between the copper and the steel. Additional copper is then melted from rod n to fill the mold and the hole in the base flange through which the arc is directed, and a solid copper terminal is quickly made integral both with the bond and the under and inner surfaces of the flange a.

Preferably some one of the types of copper moldshown, is employed in practicing my invention, for the reason that the metal body and enclosing lips or walls thereofserve to chill the molten copper and rapidly dissipate the heat. The body of the bond is protected from overheating and oxidation. Moreover, the electric arc is thereby stabilized, as well as protected against atmospheric disturbance, by the surrounding or upstanding copper walls,'so that the action of the arc may be most effectively directed by the operative.

It will be understood thatthe operator is provided with a dark glass screen or hood for his eyes, so that he may observe the progress of the burning out of the holes and the subsequent fusion of the copper terminal with the rail end; the operation, of course, being duplicated at both ends of the bond.

It will be seen that the heat-conductive metal mold, such as of copper, suitably recessed to receive additional molten metal, and adapted to receive a bond end and to be positioned adjacent jto a rail, provides a convenient, reliable and economical means for cast-welding bonds to rails.

It will further be seen that by means of such a heat-conductive metal mold, that bonds may be cast-welded to rails in a simple and eflicacious manner.

Thus the track already laid and in use may be expeditiously bonded at a very slight expense, as compared with that necessary for specially preparing the rails 'and track in advance. In no other way with which I am acquainted, may the rails already laid be commercially bonded from beneath, since excavatin sufficient space at the joints would malre this practically prohibitive.

It will be understood that the method set forth may be Varied as to some details and that it is not dependent upon the precise means set forth.

Having now described my invention in its preferred modes or forms, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, the following 1. The herein described method of electrically bonding rails, consisting in producing an aperture through each base flange of abutting rails by locally directing a heating flame against the flange, positioning the bond with its terminals respectively registering with said apertures, directing a heating flame against a terminal and an additional member of bonding material, and forming a fused connection between the bond terminal, the sides of the aperture and the bottom of the rail, substantially as set forth.

2. The herein described method of electrically bonding rails, consisting in forming a hole through the base flange of each rail approximating the size of the bond by locally 'li recting a heating flame against the flange, positioning the bond with its ends respectively registering substantially with but spaced below said holes, positioning a mold. about the end of the bond and beneath the hole in the rail, directing a heating flame against the end of the bond and the adjacent surfaces of the rail,'and against additional bonding material, and thereby fusing or welding a connecting, terminal upon the bond and beneath the base flange, directly upon and united with the metal of the rail, substantially as set forth.

3. The herein described method of electrically bonding rails, consisting in producing an aperture through the base flange of each rail by locally directing a heating flame against the flange, positioning the bond with its ends respectively, registering with but spaced slightly below. said apertures, positioninga recessed mold below an aperture and about the end of the bond to be welded, directing a heating flame through said aperture to melt down the end of said bond, supplying additional bond-ing material to the heating flame and mold and fusing or welding said material and bond to the bottom of therail and the sides of said aperture, substantially as set forth.

4:. The herein described method of pro ducing a connecting terminal upon a flanged member, consisting in forming a hole through said member approximating the size of the desired connection, placing a recessed mold upon one side of the member larger than but substantially in register with the hole, directing a heating flame' through the hole into the mold and supplying molten connecting metal to the mold in the presence of the heating flame, whereby a terminal is produced and welded to the opposing face of the flanged member and the walls of the hole, with respect to the source of the heating flame, substantially as set forth.

5. The herein described method of electrically bonding a flanged member, consisting in forming a hole through said member by locally directing a heating flame against the flange, positioning a bond with its end substantially registering with but spaced slightly below the hole, positioning a recessed mold about the end of the bond and beneath the flanged member, directing a heating flame through said hole, melting down the end of the bond, supplying additional bonding material to the recess in molten condition, and fusing or welding said bond and material directly to said member, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with a rail, of a copper. mold adapted to be positioned against the bottom of the rail, clips for holding it in place, and means for drawing a long are to produte a hole above the mold and direct a heating flame int-eriorly thereof and against the bottom of the rail, substantially as set forth.

7. The herein described method of electrically bonding a member, which consists in forming an aperture therein fromside to side approximating the cross sectional area of the bond, positioning such bond with its end substantially registering with but spaced slightly below the aperture, positioning a mold about the end of the bond beneath said aperture, directing a heating flame through the aperture, melting down the extremity of the bond, supplying additional bonding material, and fusingor welding said bond and material directly to the opposite side of the member from which the heating flame is applied, substantially as set forth.

8. The here in described method of welding a rail bond to a rail which consists in positioning the end of a bond adjacent to a rail, and fusing an end of the bond together with additional bonding metal to the rail while simultaneously chilling the portion of the bond adjacent the fused end thereof.

9. The herein described method of welding rail bonds to rails, which consists in positioning the end of the bond adjacent to the rail, surrounding the same with a supporting cup-shaped copper mold member, applying the electric arc to said end and to the rail locally and melting thereby an attaching terminal fused to the bond and to the rail; the copper mold member meantime conducting the heat from the terminal with sufficient rapidity to cool the terminal'except at the point of application of the arc, substantially as set forth.

10. In rail bonding, an open top mold adapted to be positioned adjacent a rail for cast Welding rail bonds, said mold being provided with an opening for receiving a portion of a rail bond, said bond receiving opening having copper walls to provide a chilling area adjacent the portion of the bond disposed in said opening.

11. The method of attaching rail bonds,

substantially as herein set forth, comprising the supporting of a bond in a heat-conducting and radiating member, adjusting the end of the bond to the rail end, applying the electric arc to said bond and rail locally to secure fusion, meantime eti'ectively conducting away the excess of heat, and applying additional molten metal to the bond to form a terminal integral therewith and with the rail.

12. In rail bonding, the combination with the rail, of a bond end adapted to be positioned adjacent to the rail and a recessed copper mold member adapted to enclose said bond end when positioned adjacent to the rail, said recessed copper mold member being adapted to conduct heat away from said bond end.

13. In rail bonding, the combination with a rail, of'a bond end adapted to be positioned adjacent to the rail, a terminal band tightly encompassing said bond end, and a recessed copper mold member adapted to enclose said bond end when positioned adjacent to the rail, said recessed copper mold member being adapted to conduct heat away from said bond end.

14:. In rail bonding, the combination with a rail, of a bond, the end of said bond being adapted to be positioned adjacent to the rail, and a metal member adapted to be posi tioned adjacent to the rail and tothe bond end so as to form, together with said bond end and rail, an open top molten metal retaining mold cavity in which metal may be melted by a heating flame to form abond head casting integrally united to said bond end and to said rail. 1

j 15. In rail bonding, the combination with a rail, of a bond, the end of said bond being adapted to be positioned adjacent to the rail, a terminal band encompassing the end of said bond, and a recessed metal member of high heat conductivity adapted to receive said bond end within said recess and to be positioned adjacent to the rail so as to form, together with said bond end and rail, a molten metal receiving mold cavity, said recessed metal member being adapted to conduct heat away from said bond end and from molten metal within said mold cavity.

16. In rail bonding, the combination with a rail, of a stranded copper bond, a terminal band encompassing the strands of said bond at its end, said terminal being adaptedto be positioned adjacent to the rail, a. recessed copper member adapted to be positioned 'adjacent to the rail and surround said bond end and to form, in combination with said rail and said bond end, a molten metal receiving mold cavity, said copper member being adapted to conduct heat away from the said bond end and from molten metal in said cavity.

17. The process of integrally uniting a bond end to a. rail which comprises position-- ing said bond terminal adjacent to a rail, positioning the bond in a recessed copper member so that the rail forms therewith a mold cavity, said copper member being adapted to conduct heat away from the bond end,'melting the end of the bond end and melting therewith additional copper whereby a bond terminal is formed, which is integlrally united to the rail and to the bond enc.

In testimony whereof I do hereto afiix my signature.

JOHN C. LINCOLN. 

